IDBI Aspire Platinum Credit Card

Free, but it barely pays

The catch with IDBI Aspire Platinum is not a fee. There isn't one: joining, annual and renewal fees are all ₹0. The catch is how little it earns. You get 2 Delight Points per ₹150, and users put the real return below 0.5%. IDBI does not state a point value in our record, so we cannot give you an exact figure.

That still leaves a job for it. If you bank with IDBI and need a first card to build a credit history, it costs nothing to hold and is easy to get as an existing customer.

This is IDBI Bank's card. RBL's Aspire Banking Credit Card is a different, paid product.

Where the points actually come from

On a free card like this, the bonuses are worth more than the base rate:

• 500 points when you activate the card.
• 500 more on your first ₹1,500 of spend.
• 1,000 points when your annual spend reaches ₹1 lakh, and 1,500 at ₹2 lakh.

Spend ₹2 lakh in your first year and you earn about 2,667 base points, plus 3,500 in bonuses, roughly 6,167 in all. More than half comes from the bonuses. Exempt categories earn nothing; check IDBI's list.

There is also a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fills of ₹400 to ₹4,000, up to ₹300 a month. No lounge access, UPI benefit or movie offer is listed.

Moving up to Royale Signature

Users treat Aspire as a stepping stone, and the usual next step is IDBI Royale Signature. It is also free, earns 3 points per ₹100 instead of 2 per ₹150, and adds 1 domestic lounge visit a quarter. Users ask whether the upgrade can be done online; our record does not say. For new applications, four threads say a branch visit was needed, so expect the same for an upgrade.

What users complain about

Beyond the low earn, the biggest complaint is IDBI's dated app and netbanking, which users say make it hard to track payments and points (5 threads). IDBI cards get little discussion online, so this report rests on a small pool of threads; read it as direction, not a verdict.

Worth holding for IDBI customers?

Apply if you already bank with IDBI, want a fee-free first card, and will pay in full every month to build your score. Skip it if you want real rewards or lounge access; ask your branch for Royale Signature instead, or look at a free card with clearer cashback such as Amazon Pay ICICI.

Credit Card Information Compiled by: Abhijeet Kumar | Reviewed by: Anmol Ratan Sachdeva